This really is one of those 'pinch yourself' properties: an immaculate, picture-perfect Stirlingshire castle set in 80 glorious acres.
Just an hour outside Glasgow, nestled in the heart of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park near the village of Aberfoyle, lies Duchray Castle.
And it’s an absolute gem.
Set in 80 acres (which includes 12 miles of river fishing rights) it’s the sort of castle that you might find on a postcard rather than in an estate agent’s window (the agent in question is Savills, incidentally, who must have been thrilled to get the call about this one).
It even has a fascinating story behind it: Rob Roy apparently stayed here once, and was almost trapped there when a group of Red Coats game to take him away.
The legend – as told by Sir Walter Scott himself – is that the castle’s then-owners kept the soldiers talking while Rob Roy made his escape. Though how he could tear himself away from such a spot is a bit of mystery.
Inside, thankfully, the castle has been massively upgraded from its 16th century origins (as you might expect from a property currently being used as an upmarket B&B and wedding venue).
The courtyard is beautifully kept, for example.
The bedrooms too – four of them – are exactly as plush as you’d hope.
And as for the dining room? Well, it’s barrel-vaulted, beautifully-lit and absolutely charming.
The rest of the rooms are just as nicely done, and there’s also a more modern two-bedroom annexe where, at present, the owners and operators live.
Beyond the walls there are seven acres of lawns, a hedged rose garden, a well, tennis court and various workshops and outbuildings. The 12 miles of fishing rights are on Duchray Water, a major tributary of the Forth. Together with the 15 acres of grazing land and 60-odd acres of woodland teeming with deer, red squirrels and so on, you could get thoroughly lost in nature.
The asking price for all this? £1.65 million. Last time we checked, that was about what you’d pay for a three-bedroom terraced house in Chiswick.
(We just checked again – it is.)
Full details and more pics are on the Savills website.
